Frank Hertz Experiment

Ben Richard and Katrina Sliwa PHY243W

Preview of Things to Come

History Theory Apparatus Ionization Excitation Shielding Conclusions

History

Photos: Copyright The Nobel Foundation

In 1914, by James Franck and Gustav Ludwig Hertz One year after Bohrs theory of quantized energy states Nobel Prize in 1925: for their discovery of the laws governing the impact of an electron upon an atom

Energy Levels
Bohr: discrete energy levels Excite electrons with electron impact Hg: 80 electrons Excited transitions from electrons
3P0 1S0 3P1 1S0 3P2 1S0 1P1 1S0 (4.6 eV) (4.9 eV) (5.4 eV) (6.7 eV)

Electron Scattering
Why Hg?
Monoatomic vapor Easy to control vapor pressure

Mean free path through a gas in a cavity:

I = (2nR0)-

Kinetic energy gained in an electric field during I:

K = eEI Elastic scattering: K < Energy between states Inelastic scattering: K = Energy between states

Frank Hertz Vacuum Tube

Anode

Grid (VCG) Electric field

Cathode (VF)

Experimental Setup
Thermometer Control Box A G F C B To Computer Frank Hertz Box

Multimeter

Electrometer

Ionization
Anode at negative potential w.r.t. cathode Grid at positive potential w.r.t. cathode Electrons can ionize mercury
positive Hg ions pulled toward anode

Settings
Retarding voltage: 1.5 V Vf = 6.3 V Temperature from 1000C to 1850C

Temperature Results

Ionization Results

Discussion
1.5 V retarding potential 0 V < Vcg < 15 V at 0.1 V steps Inconclusive results Expected value: 10.39 eV Potential sources of error
Recommended retarding voltage too low Filament voltage possibly incorrect

Excitation
Retarding voltage: 1.5 V Vf = 6.30 V 0 V < Vcg < 45 V in 0.1 V steps Assumptions:
Ke cathode= 0 All electrons with Ke < eVretarding captured by grid Electrons with required energy travel negligible distances before collision

Excitation results

Excitation results
Avg dist between peaks: 4.93+/- .25 eV For Hg: E = 4.6 eV, 4.9 eV, 5.4 eV, 6.7 eV Lifetime 3P0 1S0 >> Lifetime 3P1 1S0 Accepted value: 4.9 eV h = Ve/c; = 253.6 x 10-9 m h = 6.63 +/- .34 x 10-34 Js Accepted value: h= 6.626 x 10-34 Js

Excitation Observations

Excitation Observations

www.physics.umd.edu/.../demos/demosn2/n2-06.htm

Electrometer
Very sensitive to external electric fields Attempted to create grounded tin foil shield

Conclusions
Inconclusive ionization results Found excitation peaks at: 4.93+/- .25 eV Measured h to be: 6.63 +/- .34 x 10-34 Js Future work:
Fine tune parameters for ionization Obtain Vf experimentally Create better shield for electrometer

References
UR Advanced Laboratory Manual, The Franck-Hertz

Experiment [Online] http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~AdvLab/2-Frank-Hertz/Lab02% K. M. Beck and J. Mainzer, The Franck-Hertz Experiment [Online] http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~ advlab/reports/beck_mainzer_franckhertz.pdf A. C. Melissinos, Experiments in Modern Physics Academic Press (1966)

C. J. Sansonetti et al., Phys. Scr. 63 219-242, 2001 Nobel Foundation http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laurea tes/1925/index.html